I'm Patrick, I have questions about the ATO idea. I live in Redding CA, and I'm thoroughly Impressed with the whole idea. Im an Electrical Engineering student, and have 15+ years building power supplies of all types, Im currently building and operating autonomous drones for academic purposes.

but after numerous phone messages and emails, I haven't been able to speak with Mr. Powell.

Id like to know more about how the ATO idea powers its MHD propulsion system.First, PEM fuel cells seem like a poor solution due to mass and heat dissipation. Second, it seems many talk about Antarctica, so the Dark Sky station is mot meant to be moored to the ground?

Does JP aerospace allow volunteers to take part in the pong sat launches?

_________________We private sector space advocates must "punch above our cost" and win, else the government (NASA) and subsidized mega corporations like Lockheed and Boeing will murder us, as if we're infants still in a crib.

There does not appear to be a lot of activity here on the JP Aero part of the forum ?

... I have drones and instruments Im building and operating, but I'd like to hear from others...

-Patrick W. Coleman

_________________We private sector space advocates must "punch above our cost" and win, else the government (NASA) and subsidized mega corporations like Lockheed and Boeing will murder us, as if we're infants still in a crib.

I wish I knew more about the airship to orbit idea, especially since they're nearby in California. But I don't want to just randomly show up.

OK I've considered if they need autonomous rendezvous of unmanned balloons, lidar may be useful. tiny bots may be needed at first in a "technology demonstrators" and "proof of concept" role. Much of the active drag, arc jets and power supplies needs to be proved experimentally.

_________________We private sector space advocates must "punch above our cost" and win, else the government (NASA) and subsidized mega corporations like Lockheed and Boeing will murder us, as if we're infants still in a crib.

I wish I knew more about the airship to orbit idea, especially since they're nearby in California. But I don't want to just randomly show up.

OK I've considered if they need autonomous rendezvous of unmanned balloons, lidar may be useful. tiny bots may be needed at first in a "technology demonstrators" and "proof of concept" role. Much of the active drag, arc jets and power supplies needs to be proved experimentally.

You might be able to PM him using his user id here if your other contacts are out of date as you have said about building small prototype you might be able to impress him if you could build a tiny UAV bot that you could fit in a ping pong ball he may be concentrating on the educational stuff rather than the ATO but it may be a way to talk to the guy I hope this helps I have not seen any recent updates on the idea but the way materials and tech has been improving in the last decade it maybe reaching a practically feasible stage.

_________________Someone has to tilt at windmills.So that we know what to do when the real giants come!!!!

Yeah, I lay up custom epoxy composites all the time, and started looking at arimid fiber sails for yachts. There are methods and materials that could make at least the "dark sky station", I'm sure of it. From there smaller rockets could make it to orbit, while the orbiter tech matures.

The real disadvantage I see, is these systems seem to not be tethered to the ground or ocean. If they wander where the wind takes them, that diminishes there value.

_________________We private sector space advocates must "punch above our cost" and win, else the government (NASA) and subsidized mega corporations like Lockheed and Boeing will murder us, as if we're infants still in a crib.